


Purpose

by KyuubiPandoraChan



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), final - Fandom
Genre: Aerith Gainsborough Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childbirth, Creepy Hojo (Compilation of FFVII), F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Pregnant Sex, Sane Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Soft Sephiroth, Unethical Experimentation, aeriseph, sephiroth learning how to love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:09:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28667520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyuubiPandoraChan/pseuds/KyuubiPandoraChan
Summary: Finding herself pregnant after the ordeal in the lab, Aerith must journey to the Forgotten capital to give birth to her child on her own.But little does she know, that a certain silver-haired man managed to track her down.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough & Sephiroth, Aerith Gainsborough/Sephiroth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	Purpose

**Author's Note:**

> I will like to thank Tannarys and fullofstarlight for helping me out on this story. 
> 
> This is a 'What If Hojo managed to experiment on Aerith' story. 
> 
> Warning: There is smut and there is childbirth but it's not explicit.

She knew it the moment she felt the tiny flicker of life started to grow within her. It hummed steadily and its presence filled her with dread and anxiety. She stopped walking and placed her hand gently on her midriff. It seemed that the little time she had spent in the lab after being kidnapped was enough for Hojo to perform his experiment on her. She was unconscious for most of it. Even after Cloud, Tifa and Barret came to rescue her, she was unsure of what they had done to her. She felt numb and sore all over and brushed it off as there are more important things to worry about. But now, she was certain what they have done. She was carrying Sephiroth’s child.

She wanted to scream and cry from the injustice of it all. “How could this have happen?” she asked. She had to excuse herself from the others as she needed a moment to herself. Her hands were shaking as she tried to take in a deep breath.

‘Calm down.’ She told herself as she started to clasp her hand together in prayer--as she tried to communicate with the Planet. At the first tune she heard, she was surprised. The Planet sang merrily around her. She never thought that the Planet would be elevated at the thought of her being pregnant with the Calamity’s child, but apparently, they were happy, excited even. It filled her with a sense of serenity and their excitement was infectious as she started to feel better from the encouragement. The song started to calm her as they tried to relay as much as possible--the things that she needed to do now, for her and her child.

The revelation that had filled her with dread a minute ago was no longer there. Instead, it was replaced with a sense of protectiveness and joy. Placing her hand on her belly, she smiled as she knew what she must do. With the Planet by her side, she felt like she had all the support she needed to carry on this mission of hers.

It has been months since they left Midgar, but there was no sign of the silver-haired man they were chasing. It was as if after the battle on the highway, he just disappeared. It left Cloud baffled as he stopped getting visions of the said man. Even Shinra was no longer hot on their trail. Soon, they decided to head to Cosmo Canyon as Nanaki suggested. Barret had decided to head back to Kalm to see if Marlene was safe. Everyone started to make plans for themselves.

Despite the calm that they are facing, she knew she could not stay long with them. Cloud would never understand her plight of keeping the child if they knew who it belonged to. So she made the final decision to go off on her own. With a few provisions and her staff, she made her way slowly to the Forgotten Capital. It was somewhere that she felt that she needed to be. With only the planet by her side, she journeyed on.

It was a harrowing journey as she needed to cross to a different continent and make the hike there. With the child she is carrying, it was no easy feat as she started to experience some discomfort. She experienced the dreaded morning sickness and the ride crossing the water had aggravated it even more. It was the worst experience she had but she knew she had to soldier on.

It wasn’t long before she reached the shore and she began to make her way through the sleeping forest. The villagers from Bone Village had cautioned her to take a harp but she turned them down saying that she will be alright going through it.

Once she got out of the forest, her eyes widened. The city was a lovely sight to behold. Though it was abandoned for a long time, it still holds a certain allure that she had never seen before. The planet hummed happily as she took in the magnificent sight in front of her as if they were glad that she found it beautiful.

She took her time exploring the place, marveling at the complexity of it all. She found an underground chamber with a sophisticated device which told of a lost technological civilization. She couldn’t wait to tinker around with it and see if she could get it to work.

Upon further inspection, she was surprised to find many of the remaining houses still contain furniture and artifacts indicating that the area appeared just as it did before it was abandoned. All of the items were in good condition even after so many years. She was really amazed that even the clothes that she found were still usable and had not degraded due to time. She picked one of the houses with the most equipment and made it her own. She dusted and cleaned the house to make it more inhabitable and aired out the whole place.

After cleaning up the house and resting for a few days after the long journey, she started to work on the land beside the house. She missed her Sector 5 home and her mom. She wanted to have something to remember her by and also a place to grow her own food. Talk about sustainability.

With a little bit of effort, soon, the land turned into her own little garden with the seeds she brought from the village. The house was now perfect. Even better than the one she had lived in at Midgar--though there is only one thing that it lacked which is indoor plumbing. It wasn’t a big of a problem as she bathed in the spring located in the middle of the city.

Every once in a while, she will journey through the sleeping forest and into the village to get some provisions and also to trade the vegetables that grew in her garden for something else. She was self-sustaining as she only needed to feed herself and the child growing within her. She even got herself some prenatal books to read during her down time.

People in the village were really helpful when they found out she was pregnant. They were really kind and offered her a lot of help. But then, when they started to ask about the father, she had nothing to say except that he was away. It left her feeling awful as she knew people had been talking behind her back about the missing father. It tends to make her avoid going to the village as often. She did not want people to question her any further about it. She did not know how much she could avoid answering them.

These were the days where her heart would cry out for her mother and the others, but she knew she had to remain here. It is safer. She did not know if Shinra was still out there searching for her or if she would be taken back to the lab once they had found her. Worst of all, she did not know what they would do to her child. The thought of them hurting her child sent her into a frenzy and left her feeling hollow. The thought of her child growing up all alone in the lab, just like she did when she was younger, made her decision to stay secluded here even firmer. No one should be subjected to it.

Life was pretty much the same as it has returned to a certain routine and normalcy with nothing out of the ordinary happening until one night. She was walking towards the lake for her nightly routine of washing her face and brushing her teeth. Throughout her walk, she knew someone was watching her, silently observing but that silent visitor did not make a move to approach her.

“Who’s there?” She asked and then noticed that the ever present song of the Planet was gone.

Her heart started to beat wildly in her chest. Without even seeing the person, she knew who it was. There was only one person that would have this effect on her and the Planet.

Said person dropped down from the tree and began to approach her. She knew running was not an option as she will be captured easily in her state.

‘How did he find me?’ She thought the sanctity of the city would protect her from any external forces, but now, her thought was proven wrong.

Said person was walking towards her and her eyes widened at the sight of him. The light that passes through the tree reflects his silver hair, making him shine as if an angel had descended on Earth. But she knew he was anything but.

He was dressed in his black attire of a coat and heavy pauldrons. He still gave on an air of superiority as he stepped out of the dark and into the light. His face was stoic and showed no emotion as he kept his eyes on her.

Not someone who will back down from the intimidation he was exuding, she stood her ground and stared right back. Both of them were silent as they gauged each other.

She hoped that he would not see through her fear as she tried to keep her hands from shaking too much in front of him. Silently, she prayed that she would make it through but what are the chances of her surviving this encounter with him. He was literally evil incarnated, the bane of her existence, the opposite of her and what she fights for.

The silence was becoming unbearable as he stood there still staring at her. It was unnerving as she did not know what he was thinking. And the different scenarios she saw playing off in her mind was not helping much either.

Bracing herself, she puffed out her chest and held her belly with her hands protectively. “What do you want?” She leveled him with her best stare.

Still, he was silent.

She was really tired after a day of work in the garden and it started to get on her nerves. Throwing caution to the wind, she started. “If there is nothing else, I would like to go back to sleep. I’m really tired.” She proceeded to turn her back to him and walk back to her house when he spoke.

“You are with child.”

She stopped and glanced back at him over her shoulder. “Yes, I am.” She turned to face him just to see his expression. He has guarded it securely as he did not show anything that can help her decipher his thoughts. She knew she needed to tell him. There might be a chance that he will leave her alone if he knew. Or maybe, he was here because he already knew. “And I think you know who it belongs to.”

He did not reply nor say anything as he then proceeded to walk away from her and disappeared into the forest. The sound of the Planet gradually receded back. She breathes a sigh of relief when the calming song surrounds her completely. To say that he did not scare her was a lie but she will not be going down so easily and be intimidated by his presence. She has something she will fight till the very end for and it was growing in her belly.

That was easier said than done when the adrenaline of the encounter wore off, she was left shaking in her bed, thinking about when he will come back. The fear crept slowly and it gripped her heart, just like the plant, Devil’s hair, choking the life out of others with its vine. She was restless. She was near tears but she held it in as she refused to give in to it. She needed to be strong or else everything would fall apart, she knew it.

Now, she realised that she has been living in a daze ever since she started this journey. Living day by day, trying to be strong for herself, the planet and also her child. She had never thought that she might be in danger, living all by herself, secluded in the Forgotten Capital. Now, the danger was very real and really close. It scares her and she was very afraid, for both of them.

She tried to take in air but her lungs were not cooperating. She was suffocating. Just when she thought she was done for, the Planet started to sing louder. Her body started to relax and her eyes felt heavy. It began to droop and soon, she was out like a light.

* * *

When she opened her eyes next, she was floating in nothingness. She knew it was the Planet’s intervention and that they wanted to show her something and this was the only way to do it. They had done it before when she was younger and she knew what to expect from them.

“Show me.” She said and with a blinding light, the Planet did as told. They showed her a memory, not of hers but of someone’s.

There was a silver-haired child, crying as he huddled in the corner with a broken chocobo toy besides him. The pain and sorrow the memory radiated overwhelmed her as tears flowed unbidden from her eyes. She felt every emotion coming through the memories. She reached out and placed her hand on the child’s head. Sensing the touch, he looked up at her with his tear stained face.

She smiled at him. “Everything will be alright.” She reassured and her hand began to glow and soon the light became brighter to the point of blinding. Aerith woke up and she found herself back on her bed. As she got her emotion back in order, and sifted through the mysterious memories, she knew whose memory she had viewed. She then asked the planet about it and soon she found that it was the memories Sephiroth had discarded into the lifestream when he died in order to be able to separate himself from his attachments to his past. This would allow him to be able to not assimilate with the lifestream.

After that memory visit, she had plenty more. It was as if she was living his life from child till adulthood. She has seen him cry, laugh, experiencing sorrow, loss, and madness. She walked in his shoes and saw what he saw and felt what he felt. Little by little going through all of his memories, it started to put her at ease. She began to understand him a little bit better and the reason behind all of his actions. She felt like she had known him her whole life. She knew what he liked, what he disliked. She knew his personality, his pet peeves. She knew his laughter, how rare it might be. She knew his cries, which were abundant in his heart as he hid it expertly. She thanked the planet for their interference as she knew what she should do next. She saw a chance and she grabbed it. It was in her nature to save everyone, even though that said someone was Sephiroth.

* * *

The next time he approached her, she was sitting beside the spring, admiring the tranquility of the place. He stood behind her but she made no move to speak to him. She had anticipated his arrival and had mentally prepared herself.

“How?” He gestured to her midriff.

She closed her eyes and began caressing her belly. “Hojo…” She gritted her teeth as she said his name. “I was taken and placed in the lab for some time. I was experimented on before Cloud was able to come and rescue me.”

He sneered and tightened his hands at the preposterous thing that the mad man was still capable of doing. “Why then?”

“Hmm?” She glanced at him.

“Why do you keep this child when you knew how it came to be and who it was a part of?”

The question threw her off as she did not expect it. Aerith glanced back to the spring. “It is also my child, is it not? I won’t abandon them. Every life is precious. I won’t love them any less due to the nature of their conception. I will love them equally.”

Again, he turned and left after that, not saying anything else, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

* * *

She was busy tending to her garden when he approached her again. This time, it was during midday. The two encounters she had with him mostly happened at night. It was strange to see him in the daylight. This time, in his left hand, he was holding onto his infamous sword, the Masamune.

She was wary but she knew she needed to be strong and hold her ground, no matter what he was about to do.

She dusted herself off and stood up to face him. Again, she did not say anything and waited for him to speak first. She can see his inner turmoil easily on his face even though he tried his hardest not to show it. His eyes that shone brightly like the lifestream were conflicted as if there were millions of things running through his head.

“What do you fight for? What is your purpose to keep on living?” He asked.

She blinked at him and then smiled. The answer to that question was easy as she replied to him. “I fight for the planet and everyone who lives in it, even the child that has yet to come.” She placed her hand over her belly. The bump was a little bit more obvious now as she was approaching her fourth month of pregnancy. His eyes followed the direction of her hand as his gaze rested on her abdomen.

She then raised her eyes and glared angrily at him. “And if anyone were to try and bring harm to the planet, I will fight them to my very last breath."

He hissed and began to raise his sword and pointed it towards her face. She tried not to flinch as she stared down at the length of his sword.

“I can easily end your life here, girl.”

She raised her chin and challenged him. “Nothing is stopping you now, is it?” She held his gaze with hers, both of them not relenting. Just as she was looking at him, she saw a flicker of something in his eyes before he turned away and left.

There was no mistake on what she saw in his eyes back there.

_Doubt…_

* * *

The next time she saw him was one month after her near death experience with him.

She was sewing little jumpers and boots for her child outside her house when he approached her. Again, he was silent, not making a sound as he observed her.

However, this time, she decided to be the first to speak.

“When people pass away, their souls will go back to the planet, Gaia, and become part of the lifestream. And with it, it becomes the source of strength for the planet. Lifestream will then be used to create new life on the planet. The tree, animals and everyone around us will one day go back to the lifestream and then be reborn again. If the flow of this cycle is disrupted, there will be nothing left. Everything will cease to exist. Shinra has been hurting the planet by continuously drawing the energy from it. The damages that they have wrought have caused the planet great pain and I can hear their cries for help. I am only but one woman against a giant cooperation, but nonetheless, that was my purpose in life. To stop them from bringing further harm to Gaia.” She then put down her sewing work and looked at him. His face was still impassive as he returned her gaze. “Now, I will like to ask you a question. What is your purpose in life?”

He turned his head away from her as he contemplated. For a long time, he stood there with his fists clenched at his side. He was fighting something within himself as he scrunched his eyebrows.

“I do not know,” he admitted. Once he uttered those four words, his gaze clouded, going distant like a man who had lost his whole purpose to life.

Aerith then proceeded to walk over to him. Seeing this, he stepped back into the shadow. She then reached for his gloved hand and placed it on her belly bump.

“Then make me and the child the purpose of your life.”

He stared transfixed at his hand on her belly. His eyes swam with emotions, like the lifestream flowing underneath the earth. He caressed her tummy gently and then turned away and left.

Even though he did not say anything back, she knew she had gotten through to him somehow from the look on his face. She stared at her hand where he had touched and smiled. His touch was warm and gentle.

* * *

She never saw him again for a few weeks after that. She did not put too much thought into it as she needed to prepare herself for the eventual birth of her child. She had spoken with an old lady from the village. She had taught her what to expect and the things she needed to prepare for. She even promised her that she will help her deliver the child when the time comes. This means that she will have to live in the village during the eventual birth of her child. The old lady was kind enough to lend her some books on labor and delivery. She even got herself some children's books as well.

Once she got home, she read one of the books and learned that there are some herbs that help with numbing the pain. Also, she learned these herbs could ease the birth. So, she began collecting herbs nearby in the sleeping forest.

As she was foraging for the herbs, she tripped over one of the branches and landed badly on her foot, spraining it. Just as she was about to get up, a hand reached out to steady her on her feet.

She looked up to see Sephiroth beside her, a frown evident on his face.

“You shouldn’t be out here.” He reprimanded her.

“It’s alright. There are no monsters here and it’s just a sprain. I can cure it with my materia back at home.”

He frowned even more. “What if something other than a sprain to the ankle had happened? You are gambling with your life and your child over something you have no control over.”

She then laid a gentle hand on his arm and squeezed. “You are here, aren’t you?”

He turned his head away from her but she can see the slight redness creeping on his cheek at her words. She smiled at the sight of seeing him blush.

‘He looks so cute.’ She never thought she would be able to think of him this way.

Without a word, he began to scoop her up and laid her in his arms. She put her arms around his neck to steady herself as he carried her back to her home. She blushed at the way he gently cradled her against his chest. For someone that seemed so cold, he was surprisingly warm as she snuggled closer. The walk home allowed her to observe him. He was indeed handsome and it was even more evident up close. He has a strong jaw line with chiseled jaw bone and an attractive nose and thin lips.

He carried her over to the spring and began to lower her legs first into the water. The coolness of the spring began to sooth and ebbed away the ache. He then took a look at her ankle and noted that it was just a sprain. He then closed his eyes in concentration as green wisps began to circle around her ankle. The magic he invoked slowly lessened the swelling and soon the pain was gone. She rotated her ankle and found it all healed up.

“Thank you. You can call forth magic without materia?”

He stopped his inspection of her leg and looked at her. “Calling forth magic has always been easy for me. Even more so with the knowledge of the lifestream I acquired.”

“Oh…”

“Try not to move too much. Even though the magic has healed you, you should still let it rest for a few days.”

She nodded and soon got up and began heading back home, not even heeding his words. He frowned and proceeded to follow after her.

“Girl, did you even hear a word I said?”

He stopped in his tracks when she turned around and glared at him. “I have a name you know. Aerith! My name is Aerith and I’m no longer a girl. I’m a woman now.” She huffed and stomped back to her house.

He stood there baffled as he stared at her retreating back.

* * *

The past few days passed by without any incident. He did not show himself to her but she knew he had dropped by as he left meats, games and other vegetation at her doorstep. She smiled at the gesture and for the first time after so many months, she managed to have a hearty meal and it left her feeling satisfied. The baby in her belly was happy as well.

Soon it became a thing for him to leave offerings to her to the point she had to find ways to preserve the extra meat as there wasn’t any refrigeration in her home. And some day, he will stay for some time and she will talk his ears off with all the things she has been doing. He is a good listener and Aerith appreciated him for it. Those are the days she looks forward to.

One day however, he left a sizable amount of meat for her. She did not know what made him hunt so much for her but nonetheless, she began to prepare the meat for storage. After several days of him not dropping by, she began to wonder what had happened to him. She stood by the door, looking out for any signs of him. She tried to ask the Planet but nothing conclusive came up. It was kind of disheartening to think that he had left her for good.

She scolded herself about how silly it was. She took on this mission and knew that she had to do this alone but suddenly, after weeks of having him around and even when he nearly kills her, she misses his company. She misses his silence, the gentle way he looked at her or the worried look that he tried not to show whenever she did something dangerous. The gentle caress he gave over her belly as he rested his head on it. She gripped her pillow and buried her face in it.

‘I miss you…’

* * *

Over several days, the Planet began to hum louder, joyful melodies. In it, they conveyed how the lifestream has ceased to be drawn out of their core throughout the continents. Aerith was ecstatic as she knew what it meant. That Shinra’s reactor must have ceased functioning and somehow she knew who was behind it.

When she saw him again after several weeks, he was without his pauldrons and it left him looking bare with only his black coat. The strap that criss-crossed over his chest was missing as well since it was not needed to hold onto the heavy silver pauldrons. He looked less intimidating and smaller somehow, she thought.

“Thank you so much.” She thanked him enthusiastically as she twirled around happily, her dress swaying with her movement. She was elated as the Planet’s happiness flowed within her, leaving her giddy and excited.

He nodded his head and for the first time, he smiled genuinely at her. “You are welcome.”

Aerith’s eyes widened at his real smile and she is not surprised that she loved the way it transformed his face. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand.

“By the way, do stay for dinner. The meat that you left is over abundance and I have too much of it.”

He agreed and soon they were sitting in the dining area, nursing their stew. Aerith noticed that he has immaculate table manners. He waited for her to eat first and when he was eating; he took small bites every time to savor the flavors. He placed his hand over his mouth when he was chewing. He made her look like a troll for eating so gluttonously.

He turned to her when he felt her staring and then proceeded to scoop more stew onto her plate. “You are eating for two.” He explained.

“Thank you.” She said and proceeded to woof down her portion.

After the meal, she put away the leftovers and cleaned up the area. He was by her side, like her shadow, helping her out as she went about cleaning the kitchen.

“Phew, that made me all sweaty. I think I will take a bath before I head to bed.” She announced as she proceeded to head to her room to get her cleaning supplies. When she came back out, he was still there.

“Are you staying?” She asked.

He glanced at her and then turned away, blushing as he did so. “Let me help you with your bath.” He offered. “I won’t look.” He then proceeded to add when he realized that she might not be comfortable to be naked in front of him.

Aerith blushed as well but then nodded. At the sixth month of her pregnancy, she has found it hard to move around as easily as before. It will aid her a lot if he can support her in the spring.

She went back into her room and shed her clothes, wrapping herself with another towel for modesty. Once she was done, she headed back out and he followed her to the spring.

He extended his hand to her and held her while she got into the spring. He was about to follow her deeper when she stopped him.

“You will get your clothes wet. I can handle it from here.”

He looked at her impassively and then got back out of the spring only to begin shedding his own attire. She turned back quickly before she saw any unwanted part of him.

‘Oh boy, this is happening…’ She thought.

She heard splashing of water at her back, signaling to her that he had gotten into the spring with her. He grabbed her upper arm and began to slowly assist her towards the deeper part of the spring.

Once the water reached her chest, she took the shampoo from the basket and squeezed the content onto her hand. She then turned to him wanting to ask if he wanted to have some of her shampoo as well but then the sight of his bare chest left her speechless.

‘Oh my…’ It does things to her as he can see the muscle ripples whenever he moves his arms.

She turned away and extended the bottle to him. “Since you are already here, might as well get yourself cleaned up.”

He frowned and proceeded to turn his head to the side and sniffed himself. “Do I smell unpleasant?” He asked.

Aerith spluttered. “No, it’s not that. I mean… Urgh…” She was tongue-tied but then he took the bottle from her hand and began to squeeze out a generous portion.

After that, he put back the bottle onto the floating basket and proceeded to wash her hair. Aerith froze up at his touch but the gentle ministration and massages on her scalp did wonders. She can’t help but turn into a pile of jelly as he relieved the ache on the back of her neck with a little kneading.

“You can rinse your hair now.” He told her and she proceeded to dip her head under the water to wash away the suds. Once she got back out, she wanted to do the same for him but he declined.

“There won’t be anything left of your shampoo once I’m done.” He grinned cheekily.

“You are right. That hair of yours will need a lot. How do you wash it though?”

He then proceeded to answer her question by dipping himself under the water. He ran his finger over his hair and began to untangle some of the knot, smoothing it in the process. “It doesn’t need much washing as the dirt is easily removed with water.”

Aerith pouted in envy. “Seriously? Just like that?”

He nodded and smirked at her. Wanting to wipe that smirk off his face, she proceeded to splash some water on him. He then retaliated by doing the same to her and soon it became an all-out water fight between them as they laughed merrily in the spring.

It has been so long since she was this joyful and she was surprised that he was the cause of it. He has definitely changed from the cold-blooded murderer that she saw in the Shinra building to the gentle, playful man in front of her.

After a while, he helped her back onto shore. Aerith allowed him space to dress up while she took her dry towel and began to dry herself up.

“I can make it back home from here. Thank you so much for the assistance.”

When she was about to walk back, he grabbed her hand, stopping her. “Aerith…”

“Yes?”

“…Thank you.” With that, he turned and left.

She watched him go and smiled. ‘He has definitely changed.’

* * *

He brought a gift for her the next day. It was a pelt made out of animal hide. The fur on the pelt was greyish-white and looked really fluffy.

“This will keep your bed warm at night.” He explained as he laid it on her outstretched hands. The fur was very soft to the touch and it will make a nice addition on her not so comfortable bed as she has been getting frequent backaches recently due to the strain of her growing child.

“Thank you.” She hugged the pelt to her chest.

That night, she lay on her new pelt and it felt so good on her back. Her mind began to drift to a certain silver-haired man. These past few days, she had time to catalogue how she felt about him and she can’t help but to admit that she has begun to develop something for him.

Did she dare? She thought. She asked the planet for guidance but the answer was vague but nonetheless, there was no objection from it.

She turned over to her side and placed her hand over to the vacant side of the bed. It was wistful thinking but she wanted him to stay. She wanted a lot of things but most of all, she did not want to be alone. She wanted someone to hold her, to cherish her, to kiss her, to touch her and to love her.

The longer she spent with him, the more she wanted him by her side but the man had not shown anything more than polite courtesy to her. Not to mention, he was always so impassive and said so little. There was no indication that he was interested in that way with her.

She groaned in frustration and promptly stopped her train of thought and proceeded to sleep.

* * *

“Hey, there will be a festival in the village tonight. Come with me?” She asked when he dropped by the next day. His hand was in his coat; as if he wanted to take out something but then he promptly took his hand away and agreed to go with her to the festival.

She smiled and then put on her boots. They trekked all the way to the village while she filled in the silence with her voice.

Once they reached the village, she was amazed that the little town had transformed. The little village was usually drab but now it was littered with lanterns and pop up stalls. It was buzzing with all sorts of activities. People were mingling about as they went from booth to booth and chatted with each other.

Aerith glanced over to her companion. “They said the festival was a modified version of the one the Cetra used to celebrate. After so many years, the purpose of the festival was lost but nonetheless, they still hold it every year.” Aerith explained. Sephiroth just listened to her intently and nodded his head at her explanation.

She moved from booth to booth, getting a little of each item. He followed her obediently by her side and also glared at anyone who came too close in bumping her. Everyone gave them a wide berth when they saw his imposing height.

Somehow, Aerith was glad for that as her baby was not making it easy for her to navigate in the crowded area.

When she heard music coming from the center, she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards it. The music got louder and everyone gave way as they saw her coming through.

“Hey Aerith. I see you made it to the festival.”

“Hello Mr. Hallock. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She greeted him.

The man then proceeded to glance over at Sephiroth. “I see you have brought your husband along.” He extended his hand for him to shake.

Aerith winced and wanted to clear the misunderstanding. She did not know how Sephiroth would react to being known as her husband but she needed to correct Mr. Hallock on it.

Before she could say anything, the silver-haired man shook the outstretched hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hallock. My wife spoke a lot about you and how you helped her around the village. Thank you for being there for her when I was not able to.”

The admission from him made her heart beat as the implication meant that he did not mind being considered as her husband. Whenever she made the trip to the village, people tended to ask for her husband and most of the time she avoided it by saying he was busy. Mr. Hallock was really kind to assist her with anything she needed without asking much about her. Even so, she was glad that Sephiroth played along and was really polite towards the older man.

Mr. Hallock laughed merrily as he patted Sephiroth’s back several times. “You’re welcome. Come on, lad. Let me treat you to some beer.”

“I will have to politely decline as I wanted to enjoy this night sober.”

“True. The night is still young and it will be wasted to end up drunk to the bone.” He laughed at his own joke. “Anyway, join in on the dance with Aerith.” He winked and proceeded to push them towards the center. Sephiroth held onto Aerith as the other dancers began to make way for them.

Everyone was clapping and danced to the rhythm of the music. It was some sort of an informal dance where one partner set the pace and the other follows.

They stared at each other and then he smiled as he extended his hand to her. She returned his smile and placed her hand on his. Then with the next set of tunes, he proceeded to waltz her through the dance floor, guiding her through it, gently. She followed easily to his pace and she was glad that her time running around in the slum and avoiding danger has led her to have swift footwork. He was mindful of her pregnancy and took things slower than the other couples but nonetheless, it set her heart ablaze as she gazed upon him. He looked so serene and the permanent little tilt of his mouth made him look so handsome.

She felt like she was floating on cloud nine and he literally made her fly off her feet as he carried her up and twirl in a half circle before setting her down. She never would have guessed that he could dance this well in a million years.

Once the music stopped, everyone clapped and they proceeded to leave the dance floor. They found a secluded spot near the edge of the festival and proceeded to enjoy the firework displays. The moment was beautiful as she rested her head on his shoulder.

There were other couples sitting nearby and she can’t help but envy them as they hugged each other, intimately. She knew that whatever that was between them now, he only stayed for the child and nothing more. She glanced at him from her position and wished with all her heart that he would love her just the way she loves him.

The sound of the village was drowned out by the soothing sound of his heartbeat. She can listen to it for a whole lifetime. The smell of rose, vanilla and leather is so familiar to her now that it invoked a sense of silly happiness within her. She wanted it to last forever but knew that they have to head home soon.

“I think I had enough for the night. Let’s head home.”

* * *

She hummed a tune as she walked beside him through the sleeping forest. The moonlight passing through the canopy as it reflected the white coloured tree made the surrounding look ethereal, just like her companion. His hair swayed gently as he walked and reflected the moonlight and gave off a shine that made him look so beautiful.

His gait was slow as he matched her pace and she was glad for that. These days, she felt so heavy that it was hard not to get tired after a while.

“I had a lot of fun today. Thank you for accompanying me to the festival.”

He nodded and then he stopped her by tapping gently on her shoulder.

“I have something for you.”

“Oh? For me?”

He nodded and then handed her what looked like a carved wooden chocobo. She took it and began to inspect it. It was well crafted with details of the feathers carefully carved throughout the whole body of the chocobo. It looked exactly like the gigantic bird with the intricate details.

“What’s this for?”

“A toy for your child.” He explained and turned his head away when he saw her eyes widen. “You can throw it away if you do not like it.”

She swallowed as she looked at the toy in her hand. It reminded her of the broken one she saw him have as a child. It was so lovingly carved out as if the person making it had put all of his heart into it. “Did you make it?”

His bangs covered his face as he nodded.

She closed the distance between them and took his hand. He looked at her face and she smiled up at him. “It is your child as well.”

It was the first time that she has acknowledged out loud that the child growing within her was a part of him. All at once, repressed feelings began to gush out of her and her eyes began to fill with tears as she began to sob.

Seeing this, he placed his hand on her cheek and began to rub the tears away with his thumb. “Why are you crying?” He asked.

She closed her mouth to try to stop the sob from coming through but as she looked at his worried face, she couldn't stop herself. She wanted so much to tell him how she felt for him and how she wanted him by his side, to not be alone. She wanted to have someone to be by her side, to share her burden and her fears of bringing this child to life. To be there to hold her hand and to be there for their child.

“Is it selfish of me to ask you to stay?” She asked him between sobs.

Hearing her cry made his heart clench painfully but when her tear stained eyes looked at him, he was rooted to the spot. Suddenly as if by magic, the sound around him ceased to exist and only the sound of his beating heart can be heard. He decided to listen to it for the first time in forever and then lowered his head to press his lips gently on hers.

Heart pounded in her chest as he deepened the kiss. She could only focus on how soft he felt against her mouth. There was a raw emotion in the way his fingers curled around her hair.

Every breath she took, she could smell his ever present smell of rose, vanilla and leather and for the first time since she’d known herself, she didn’t feel shy in expressing what she wanted. The gentle caress and warm feeling of his breath, was inviting. This time around she draped both her arms around his neck and met his lips again halfway.

His arms moved up and down her back and then to her protruding belly as he gently held her there. He then began to kiss the tears away on her cheeks and then moved downward to her neck. He nibbled gently at her side, earning a moan from her.

Her whole body tingled deliciously with every gentle caress of his touch. The feel of his large frame leaning on hers as his arms wrapped around her felt nearly forbidden. He pulled her in, claiming her mouth again, hungry and intense, until her knees gave in. She trailed her fingers down his shoulder and slipped them under his coat, his skin smooth and radiating heat.

Things became more heated as he slipped in his tongue. The action made her knee buckles as he held her close to him as much as her belly allowed.

Soon, he divested them of their clothes and laid her gently on his coat that he had placed on the ground, mindful of her condition. He then proceeded to lay behind her and kissed her neck and shoulder. His hand caressed her inner thigh and she moaned from the ministration.

This was a new experience for her as the most intimate thing she ever did was make-out with Zack and that was several years ago. They had not gone further than that but now with this man behind her, she was willing to let him in.

She guided his hand towards her entrance and he dipped experimentally into her core and began to slowly rub her. She squeezed her thighs together when a particular finger began to dip into her. It sent a strong surge of warmth and she was becoming wet the more he fingered her. She lay panting as she rested on his other arm. Her heart was beating wildly as it sent delicious tingles up her spine.

Lifting her leg up, exposing her, she felt something poking at her entrance and knew what he was about to do. She encouraged him by pushing back against him. That was signal enough for him to slowly proceed. There was only a little discomfort as entered her. She can feel every inch of him as he pushed in. And then finally, he was completely sheathed inside of her. She moved her hand to the place where they were joined and blushed. They were at last connected.

She felt full as she knew he was not a small man. She wanted to sob at the feeling of being filled like this. He panted at her back as he waited for her to adjust to him. Experimentally, she squeezed her thighs together and that elicited a soft moan from him. He then began to slowly move in and out of her, all the while laying kisses on her neck. Both of them moved in rhythm that was instinctive and ancient. She turned her head to him wanting him to kiss her and he did and began giving her all his attention while he gently made love to her.

His other hand caressed her nipple as he began to thumb and pull it. She moaned and groaned at the pleasure surging through her. It was so good and she felt warm all over. The intimacy left her feeling so good that she didn’t want it to stop.

She held onto her belly as the movement from him jostled her a little too much. She can feel his movement getting erratic and then her inside was suddenly filled with liquid warm as he groaned behind her. He came inside of her and he jerked a few more times before pulling out.

He then dipped his two of his fingers into her and began to rub her till she came as well. He gave her another deep mouthed kiss as he began to caress her thigh.

A nice warm enveloped her after that and she basked at the after-glow of their love making. Her eyes were heavy as she turned over to him and rested her head on his chest.

Shortly after, slumber began to take a hold of her. Before she completely succumbed to it, she thought she heard him telling her something.

* * *

She woke up and found herself alone on her bed with a blanket over her. She blinked the sleep away and when she moved, something trickled down her thigh. She proceeded to touch it and found it was sticky. Memories of last night began to play and she blushed at it, of the activity they have done.

Soon, the feeling turned into despair as he was not here with her. He left her to wake up alone after their first intimate encounter.

‘Was he just using her?’ She suddenly thought. She was crestfallen the more she thought about it.

Not wanting to think more on it, she wiped her tears and proceeded to get clean.

* * *

She did not see him till the afternoon. By then, she was so angry at him that she ignored him when he stepped into her house. She turned away from him and began to chop the vegetable furiously.

“You know, it is rude to just leave your partner to wake up alone after sex.” She sniffed as she wiped her nose. “I thought you left me.” She added silently.

“Aerith…” He hugged her from behind and buried his face into her neck. “You are not mad because of what I did last night?”

She whirled around and turned to him, confused. “No, why will I be mad?”

“Because…”

“Because we have sex?”

He nodded and proceeded to explain. “I thought that you would regret it come morning once your head is clearer. You were not in the right state of mind yesterday and I felt that I had taken advantage of that moment. You were vulnerable and …”

She turned around and hugged him to stop him from saying more. “You are so silly. I would have stopped you if I didn’t want you to.” She lowered her head and kissed him. “I love you.” There she said it.

He looked at her endearingly and caressed her face with his hand. The emotions swimming behind his eyes were like the ocean. He returned her kiss and proceeded to carry her to her room.

There, they made love again as he took her from behind. She loved the way he draped over her as he slid in and out of her, drawing loving moans from her. He wrapped his arm over her belly, gently caressing it. Just as he was about to push in again, he felt a kick through her belly and he froze. He got off of her immediately. Aerith felt it too and then placed her hand on her belly.

She giggled. “I guess junior did not agree with our prolific activity.”

“Did I hurt the child?” He looked so worried that she couldn't help but gush at his expression.

“No. The baby is fine. Don’t worry.” She then crawled over to him and proceeded to lower herself onto his penis, with her back pressed to his chest. Both of them groaned at the delicious feeling of being joined once again. He steadied her as she tried to find a steady rhythm. “Let’s finish this and we can get back to lunch.” She told him and proceeded to grind onto him. He hissed and buried his face in her hair as he nodded in agreement.

She got up again and then proceeded to push him down until he lay comfortably on her bed. He stared transfixed as she lowered inch by inch onto him as he saw ‘himself’ disappear within her. It made his penis twitch as he fully lodged in her. He allowed her to set the pace. She gripped his shoulder as she began to bop up and down on his lap. The faces she made as she managed to find her pleasure spot sent him over the edge as he came inside her. He kissed her as she squeezed him, milking him of every last drop.

They rested on her bed as they tried to catch their breath. She laid her head on his chest as he in turn twirled her hair teasingly.

“You are beautiful, Aerith.” He then kissed the top of her head affectionately.

She turned her head to gaze up at him. To others, he may look the same as always but she knew he had changed if you knew where to look. His eyes were gentler, his tones more affectionate and his touch was full of love.

“Will you stay this time?” She asked him.

“Certainly.” He kissed her forehead as he hugged her closer to him. “Both of you are the purpose of my life.”

Aerith’s eyes watered as she closed her eyes. That was the closest he will ever admit that he loves her and it filled her heart with joy. She knew he was a man that guards his heart fiercely and for him to declare something like that to her, it really meant a lot.

She got up and then patted his chest. “Alright, get up. Let’s make lunch. I’m starving.”

He glanced out the window. “I think you meant dinner.” He pointed out.

“What? It’s already that late?” She crawled slowly out of bed and proceeded to bend down to pick up her clothes. She then glanced over to her lover and found that he was looking at her intently. “Come on, help me out.”

He blinked a few times and proceeded to get out the bed. She moved over to him and tapped his nose to get his attention. “What were you looking at just now?”

He smirked at her. “I realised how wonderful you look, bending down like that.”

She slapped his chest playfully. “You will have to wait, Mister. Food first.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted and proceeded to head to the kitchen.

Aerith followed but once she entered, Sephiroth asked her to take a seat while he handled the cooking. She did not object at all and happily waited for him.

Once he placed the meal on the table, she was surprised that he managed to cook a decent meal. It looked so appetizing and it even tasted as good.

“It’s really good. Didn’t know you can cook.”

“I have to after nearly getting poisoned to death in Wutai.”

“Oh?”

“Assassination through food. I have to keep a close eye on what I consume. I usually cook my own meal.”

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “How old were you?”

He looked up at her and waved. “It was a long time ago.”

“You have a hard life.”

“Not anymore.” He smiled at her. “I have you now.”

She smiled at him and continued eating. “You better eat before I finish it.”

Both of them ate silently after that, basking in each other's presence. The Planet hummed joyously around them. Both of them are not alone anymore.

* * *

The snowstorm was unrelenting as Sephiroth shut the door to their house. Aerith glanced up at him worriedly. A few hours ago, her water broke and she did not expect the baby to come this early. She had planned to stay in the village next week but it seems that junior had another plan and wanted to come out early.

“It doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon.” He shook the snow away from his hair and shoulders. “Do you think you can make it through the storm?”

She shook her head. “Even if you carry me there, I don’t think I have it in me to go through it.” She started to pace around as she rubbed her belly. “I think I will be having the baby here and you will have to help me.”

He stood rooted on the spot. Aerith walked over to him and grabbed his hand. “I know you can do it, Seph. Believe in yourself.”

Sephiroth shook his head. “I’m worried about you, Aerith.” He caressed her face. “It’s not a simple procedure.”

“I know but women have been giving birth since the ancient time. The Planet will help us. We can do it.”

He rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. “You are so strong, Aerith. I will do my best.”

“That’s the spirit.” She kissed him softly.

Sephiroth helped her out as she walked around a bit more as was instructed in the book which will help with the delivery. He began to boil the water and laid down extra covering on the bed for her.

She began to count the interval between each contraction and noted on the frequency of it. She grabbed the back of her chair and began to exhale. It was getting more intense. A few hours had passed since her water broke.

Sephiroth looked on worriedly, not knowing how else to help her besides standing beside her while she groaned every time the contractions kicked in. He massaged her back to sooth her pain as she rested her head on her arms.

“Seph…”

“I’m here.”

“Don’t go.”

“I won’t.”

A few more hours later, her contractions got stronger and the pain was getting unbearable. Luckily, she kept the herbs she foraged and began to chew on it. Sephiroth tried to ease her pain with magic but it does not seem to relieve her that much.

“It’s alright, Seph.”

“You are in a lot of pain.”

“I can handle it.” She groaned. “I think it’s time.”

He helped her up on her bed and began to divest her of her underthings. He covered her with a blanket and put an extra pillow behind her to make her more comfortable.

“Thanks.” She was grateful that he was here with her. She cannot begin to imagine what would happen if she was doing this alone.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” He asked as he tried to warm her ice cold hand.

“Just stay with me, Seph.”

He took her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Of course. I’ll be here with you.”

Aerith closed her eyes as she felt nausea. Sephiroth put his hand on her flushed face. “You are warm to the touch.” He went to the kitchen to fetch the broth he had prepared once he knew the labor would proceed soon. “Eat something. You will gain more strength for the eventual labor.”

She tried to take in as much as she could but it did not sit well with her. “I can’t take it anymore.” She winced as the pressure at her back increased. “It hurts.” She moved to her side with his help and then proceeded to get up on all fours. This position relieved her a bit as Sephiroth massaged her lower back. She groaned in pain and buried her face in the pillow.

The clock ticks as the contractions got more frequent. She started to tremble uncontrollably and he realised it was not a good sign. “You are fatigued. Please eat something, Aerith.”

He managed to feed her a few spoonfuls of broth before she groaned in pain. “Oh Planet, it hurts.” She was sweating profusely as Sephiroth tried to wipe it away with a cloth.

“It will be over soon.” He told her.

A few more hours passed by and she can feel an immense pain and pressure. She knew it was time as she had a strong urge to push. She looked over to Sephiroth who was currently massaging her hips to relieve her of the pain.

“Seph, it is time.”

He nodded to her knowing what was to be done. He began to move over and position himself between her legs.

“You can push now, Aerith.”

She then began to push as hard as she could. He heard Sephiroth’s encouragement and it helped her a lot but oh she was so tired. The pain was getting intense and no amount of magic can help relieve her. The pressure on her pelvic was excruciating as she screamed every time she pushed.

Sephiroth massaged her pelvic while checking on to see if crowning happened. “You are almost there, Aerith. Push as hard as you can.”

Suddenly, he felt her go lax and he turned to see that she was unconscious. His heart dropped and a sense of dread started to creep up on him. His hands shook as he began to reach out for her.

“Aerith, wake up.” He shook her. There was no response as she laid there. “Please, open your eyes.”

He tried pinching her, mindful of his strength but still her eyes were closed. “No, please, no.”

He stood there, stunned as he felt the world spiraled around him. For a long time, he had never felt this much fear. He was afraid, scared of the prospect of losing both of them and there is nothing he can do about it. For all his strength and power, there was nothing he could do to help her. He felt useless and helpless. What’s the use of all he tried to achieve if he cannot even save the mother of his child?

A lone tear slid down his face as he realised that he was losing her. He started to clasp his hands together like how she had done it. It was his last bid of saving her.

“Planet, Gaia, if you love her enough… Please save her. I beg you. I will do anything if it means Aerith is saved. Please. I beg of you.”

He kept repeating it like a mantra. He did not know how long he did but then he heard a gasp and he looked up to see Aerith gasping for air.

“Aerith…” He placed his hand on her face and began caressing her. “You are back.”

“Yea, I think I saw my mom and dad.” She chuckled. “I heard your voice and I tried reaching out to it. Thank you for calling out to me.” She grabbed his hand and the relief he felt was tremendous as tears began to flow freely from his eyes. It surprised him as he wiped it away. He hadn’t cried this much since he was a child.

“Don’t go.” He told her.

“I won’t.” She promised. “We have a baby to deliver.”

They repeated the process of Aerith pushing and Sephiroth massaging her hips. An hour later and he saw the head of the baby emerging from her vagina. “I see the head. We are almost there.”

Hearing that encouraged her to push even more and soon, the baby head was fully out and Sephiroth continued to gently guide the baby out while Aerith pushed.

Giving one last push, Aerith felt relieved as the pressure left her body. She heard a snip and then, the cries of a baby began to reverberate throughout the room. She opened her eyes as she looked over to Sephiroth. The look on his face as he held onto their baby left her in tears. Never had her heart been fuller at that moment. There were tears in his eyes as he smiled at her.

“It’s a boy. We have a baby boy, Aerith.”

She reached out for them and he then proceeded to wipe the baby clean. She pulled her dress lower as Sephiroth lowered their son to her chest, skin-to-skin.

The baby made sucking motion with his mouth and Aerith directed him to her nipple and he began to nurse from her. He was beautiful and Aerith began to count the amount of fingers and toes he has. He was so tiny in her arms but she already loves him with all her heart.

“Aerith, you need to give one last push to deliver the afterbirth.” Sephiroth reminded her.

She nodded and once the afterbirth left her body, he proceeded to wrap it up and bring it outside so that he could bury it.

The room was silent as the baby suckled. The Planet sang happily around her at the birth of another Cetra.

_You did well, my child_

“Thank you.”

Sephiroth came back to the room and moved to her side. “You did wonderful, Aerith. You were so strong.” He gave her praise as he kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

Aerith grabbed him and directed him toward the bed so that he lay next to her, with their baby between them.

“He’s so beautiful, Seph.”

“He is. He will grow up strong and loved.” He gently caressed the baby’s cheek with his knuckle.

Even with the relentless snowstorm outside, nothing faze the two new parents as they basked on the warm of each other as they looked at their son.

“What should we name him?” Aerith asked.

“What do you have in mind?” He asked as he looked at her

“I thought of snow and winter.”

He looked down at the child and smiled. “Yukine. It means snow and calm in Wutainese.”

“Yukine…” Aerith tested the name and smiled as she looked at her child. “You hear that? Your name is Yukine, my beautiful baby boy.

As Sephiroth looked at Aerith and his son, he felt something overcame him. At that moment, he swore that he will do anything to see them be happy and safe. His heart felt full, like it is going to burst out of his chest. It is an emotion he never knew he will be able to feel until this moment.

He reached over and put his arm around them. This little family of his. He has found a place where he belongs and he will never trade it for anything else. He has finally found his purpose.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoy it. Might do a continuation if anyone is interested.


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